Reds catchers avoid setting up 'in the train tracks'

MIAMI -- A day later, Major League Baseball stood by its reversal of a play at the plate that scored the tying run and led to the winning runs in Thursday's 3-1 Reds victory over the Marlins.

MLB issued a statement on the play in which Zack Cozart was ruled safe at home because Marlins catcher Jeff Baker blocked the plate before he had the ball.

"We realize that people may reasonably have different opinions regarding the application of Rule 7.13 in any particular instance because it is a judgment call," the statement read. " We are continuously evaluating the application of the new rule, and we anticipate a full review with all appropriate parties in the off-season in order to determine whether any changes should be made. We also recognize that the exorbitant length of last night's review, which was more than three times the season average, must be avoided in the future.

"That said, the most important goal of this rule has been to eliminate dangerous collisions at home plate, and it cannot be disputed that the rule has been very effective toward achieving this purpose."

Marlins manager Mike Redmond was ejected after arguing the call and called it a "joke" during a postgame tirade on Thursday. Friday, Redmond declined to talk further about the incident, saying he made his position pretty clear on Thursday.

Reds manager Bryan Price made it clear that he's no fan of the rule, but by the letter of the law, the rule was applied correctly.

"I understand why the rule is in there. I'm not a fan of it," Price said. "That being said, I think it would have been derelict in my duty had I not point out the fact the catcher was straddling the plate and didn't give Cozart a lane to run through."

Marlins third baseman Casey McGehee was thrown out at the plate in the first inning of Thursday's game and made the argument afterwards that he should have challenged the play as well. However, inspection of the video shows the difference between the two philosophies between the Reds and Marlins in making the play.

The Reds teach their catchers to set up in fair territory to allow the baserunner to see the entire plate. The Marlins teach their catchers to start behind the plate, giving the baserunner the front part of the plate.

Mike Stefanski, the Reds major league catching coordinator, has worked with Reds catchers from spring training through the season on their positioning.

"I'm putting our guys in front of home plate anyway. I'm not going to put them in the corner, because I'm assuming a bad throw already," Stefanski said. "You're really as suing a perfect throw when you line up back there. If that's what you do, that's what you do. You have to worry about that step when the throw is bad."

The rule states that a catcher can move to adjust to the throw, but Stefanski says the Reds work on never being "in the train tracks" of the baseline. Baker was fully in the base path before he got the the ball, completely blocking the plate.

Stefanski said that until this year, Baker makes an absolutely perfect play, but with the new rules, he was clearly in violation.

The Reds catchers say they practice those plays constantly. Pena, like Baker, could be seen looking down to make sure he was in the right position when he set up to take Billy Hamilton's throw from center field in the first inning. The difference was the team's philosophy -- and Stefanski's way led to an out, and the Marlins' way led to a run.

The rule is in place to decrease collisions at the plate and we've seen that. But that doesn't mean people don't miss those collisions -- including the catchers.

"It takes away the fun of the position, to be honest with you," Pena said. "To be able to block home plate and protect that winning run like the way (Baker) did (Thursday) night is exciting. But at the same time you need to understand it's part of the process, it's part of the new rules. We need to go out there and keep that in our minds. It's not easy because you've been taught your entire career to protect the plate no matter what happens. We get a lot of collisions at the plate and you get used to it -- it's part of being a trooper, of being a catcher. But, I don't like (the rule)."